Blog

The UAW Financial Officers’ Conference will be held Sunday, March 24 through Friday, March 29, 2019, at the Buena Vista Palace Hotel in Orlando, Florida.
This conference is for local union presidents, financial secretaries/treasurers, trustees and recording secretaries.

In this issue, Solidarity takes a look at some of the critical issues ahead of the 2018 midterm elections. From fighting the never-ending attacks on the Affordable Care Act to workers; rights, immigration, investing in our infrastructure and fair trade, we need lawmaker who understand Main Street concerns.

As the German autoworkers’ union IG Metall continued to negotiate with German carmakers, 20,000 workers at Volkswagen’s main plant in Wolfsburg walked away from production lines for two hours to express their determination for a fair collective bargaining agreement. In all, a half million workers have participated in three days of strikes at German assembly plants, parts suppliers and other metal shops.

What have we learned from our first year under Republican control of all branches of government? Elections matter. The mid-term election is critically important. And when we vote, we must not be taken in by hollow promises. We must not be distracted or deterred from our course by the peculiar distractions of this government. We must insist on something better from Washington. We do not want more politicians who forget about working families after Election Day.

Each year, Union Plus awards scholarships to students from union families across the country. Scholarships are awarded based on academic merit, social awareness, financial need and appreciation of labor. Scholarships are awarded in amounts of $500 to $4,000, and students may reapply each year.

Last year, UAW members and their children were awarded thousands of dollars to help them continue their education through the Union Plus Scholarship program.

Today we remember Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., an icon of the civil rights movement and a champion for the rights of workers. Locals and members across the country will be participating in a day of service to honor his legacy and serve their communities.

Union members across the country wear red shirts on Wednesday to show solidarity and to make their voices heard by management in a small way. The practice was started by the Communication Workers of America who wear red on Thursdays in order to honor Gerry Hogan, a member who was killed while on the picket line. The practice has taken on even more significance with recent attacks on workers' rights by legislatures across the country.